Incensed, Anatolian Heat deserve attention

DEL MAR, Calif. – Hong Kong beckons for Stormy Liberal and Richard’s Boy, one-two finishers in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. It would be a long trip for big money.

The purse for the Hong Kong Sprint on Dec. 10 at Sha Tin is approximately $2.3 million. But before trainer Peter Miller finalizes plans for Stormy Liberal or Richard’s Boy, he will aim for a less complicated trip for two turf sprinters Thursday at Del Mar.

Incensed and Anatolian Heat are the top contenders in race 4, a second-level allowance optional $80,000 claiming race at five furlongs. Both were compromised last out.

Incensed ran two weeks ago in a first-level allowance at Del Mar, a turf sprint he would have won except for bad luck. He was blocked inside from the three-sixteenths to deep stretch, angled outside late, finished strongly, and missed by a half-length.

“Horrible,” was Miller’s description of the trip. “But sometimes you roll the dice on the rail, and you roll snake eyes.”

Incensed skips a condition Thursday, which is no big deal considering he should have won the first-level allowance. And with time running out at Del Mar, options are limited.

“We’re going to Los Alamitos for a month, so this is the last chance to run on the grass with these horses,” Miller explained. Los Alamitos, which does not have turf racing, runs Nov. 30 to Dec. 17. Santa Anita begins Dec. 26.

Incensed is the 5-2 favorite Thursday, Anatolian Heat is 3-1. After winning turf sprints at Del Mar and Santa Anita in fall, Anatolian Heat dueled for the lead and finished fourth last out. Miller chalks it up to mistaken strategy.

“He wants to sit third or fourth, and that’s really been the profile for success on this course,” he said, referring to the Del Mar turf.

Both Miller trainees have new jockeys Thursday. Incensed switches to the meet’s leading rider Flavien Prat. Anatolian Heat switches to Corey Nakatani. Other contenders in race 4 include Zuri Chop, Doc Curlin, and Tough Sunday.

Stormy Liberal’s win in the Turf Sprint was the first in a Breeders’ Cup for Miller and owner Gary Hartunian. Both Stormy Liberal and Richard’s Boy are under consideration for riches at Sha Tin.

“We’re thinking about Hong Kong for one or both,” Miller said. “I initially was going to give Richard’s Boy time off, but I can’t get him tired. I run him, I run him, I ship him, I run him, I run him, I ship him, and he wants more.”

Richard’s Boy has raced this year at Santa Anita, Meydan, Pimlico, Penn National, Parx Racing, and Del Mar.

Stormy Liberal won the BC Turf Sprint despite an abbreviated work pattern due to a leg infection. “He missed about two months of training,” Miller said. “I only breezed him a couple five-eighths. He should be able to move forward off the race.”